Lock housing



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OLOE A. NORLUND, OF WILLIAMSIEOR-T, PENNSYLVANIA.

LOCK- HOUSING;

Application filed. October 14, 1922.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, OLor A. NORILUND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Williamsport, in the county of Lycoming and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful lmprovements in LockHousings, of whichy the following is a specifica-tion.

This inventionk relates tolock housings.

One object of the invention is to provide a housing for attachment tothe valve stems of automobile tires whereby the latter may be securelylocked'V to the wheel in a manner toy prevent its removal therefrom byunauthorized persons.

Another object is to yprovide a housing capable of generali usefor thenuts or heads of screws or bolts, which housing may be unlocked only bythe use of a specially designed key having a certain combinationv ofeoacting elements for insertion into the housing for the purpose, whichcombination is susceptible of wide variation andv is inoperative bymeans of an ordinary key, a screw driver or any other tool.

The improved' housing is designed as an improvement on? the lock housingshown and describedin my application for Patent Serial No. 514,362,patented March 6, 1923, No.-f1,447,564, andv is so applied to the valvestem in a manner to freely admit 'of the removal or application oftheordinary dust cap thereof, and may be applied in position without anyalteration of therfelly or stem, the said housing being capable of easyand cheap manufacture and adapted to clamp the valve and inner tube inposition Without dcfacing the felly.

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained froma consideration of the following detailed description taken inconnection' with the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspeciication, it being' understood that while the drawing shows apractical form of the invention, thev latter is not to be confined tostrict conformity with the showing thereof,

but may be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modificationsmark no material departure from the salient features of the invention,as specifically pointed out in the appended claims. p

In the drawing, in which similar refer ence characters designatecorresponding partsthroughout the several figures Fig. l is a sideelevation of the improved Serial Nro. 594,569l

housing shown mounted in position on an ordinary valve stem, removedfrom the tire and having the usual dust cap applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section through the same, a portionof the valve stem being omitted.

Fig. 8 is a detail view in elevation of the device, the housing properbeing in section and the special key in position for unlocking thehousing.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the key in engagement with its coactingpart.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is a detail view in side elevation of the dust cap for the lockhousing.

In the drawing, there is shown an ordinary valve stem l provided with aclamp plate 2 and clamp nuts 3 at one end` for attaching the same tov aninner tube of an automobile tire in the usual manner, it being deemedunnecessary to illustrate any of the parts of the tire or wheel fellyfor the purposes of this application. The valve stem is i.

threaded, as usual, throughout its length.

Mounted on the outer portion of the stem l, or that portion whichextends through the felly of the wheel towards the axis of the same, isa nut 4 having its bore or passageway threaded to receive the threads ofthe valve stem. The lower or inner portion of said nut is reduced andextended along the stem as at the said extension being adapted toreceive an inturned bottom or inner wall 6 of a revolving, shell-likesleeve or housing 7 of considerably greater diameter and length than thenut 4 and whose upper or outer end 8 is open and extends beyond theouter face of the nut.

Between the bottom or inner wall 6 of the housing and the shoulderformed by the lower extension 5 of the nut 4, there is interposed thebottom or inner wall 1() of a revoluble guard ring 11, the upper orouter end of which is open and extends substantially half way along theinterior wall of the housing or sleeve 7, the said ring being formed ofconsiderably thinner sheet metal than the said housing, and beingadapted to freely revolve within the same and independently thereof. VThe diameter of the guard ring is somewhat greater than that of thenut4so1 that anannular space is formed entirely around the said nutbetween said elements.

The lower or inner end of the extension 5 of the nut 4 passes throughthe hole in an ordinary washer 12, and is sumciently long to beoutwardly turned thereunder or upset to retain the said washer, togetherwith the housing 7 and the guard ring 11 thereon, and to allow thehousing and guard ring to freely revolve about the same.

Beneath or beyond the washer 12 a clamp nut 13 is mounted on the valvestem for the purpose of clamping the valve stein in the telly of thewheel in the usual manner, said nut 18 having the usual polygonal facesfor the reception of a wrench and adapted to bear against the inner faceot the telly between the spokes oit the wheel.

The upper or outer open end of the housing 8 is adapted to be closed bya cap 14, `tormed of thin sheet metal suitably stamped into a cup shapeof a diameter to snugly fit within the open end of the housing 8, andhaving a bottom 15 which, when the cap is :in position over the open endoi the housing, is slightly above or beyond the upper or outer edge Aofthe guard ring 11, and is provided with an opening adapted to receivethe valve stein 1 and to freely slide up and down thereon. The upper orouter open end ot' the cap 14 is supported on the upper or outer edgeor' .the housing 8 by means of a peripheral outstanding flange 16 havingits margin turned downwardly or inwardly to engage over said housing,and to support the said ycap in spaced relation to the upper end ot' theguard ring 11 and the nut 4. The usual valve stem cover 17 is adapted tobe threaded onto the upper or outer end of the stem and to bear againstthe upper or outer face of the bottom 15 ot the cap 14, and to hold thesame in position within the housing 8.

The outer periphery of the nut 4 which is substantially circula-r, isprovided with a plurality of vertically or longitudinally disposedgrooves or other engaging elements 1S extending` from the bottom to thetop thereof, and the walls of the guard ring 11 are likewise providedwith a similar series ot vertically or longitudinally disposed groovesor other engaging elements 19 corrsponding to the grooves 18, and formedby indenting the thin metal comprising the guard ring 11 :from thebottom to the top thereof, and corresponding in spacing to the groovesof the nut 4. The indenting of thering provides ribs on the inner sideof the ring. The grooves 18 and 19 respectively comprise the changeablecombination of the lock housing, and it will be seen that suolicombination may be altered by forming the said grooves differentdistances apart, some being closer together than others, and that anindefinite number ,of such devices may be manufactured each having adiii'erent combination.

A key for unlocking or locking the parts of the invention, after thecaps 14 and 17 are removed, is shown in elevation in Fig. 3, said keycomprising a thimble-like shell or casing 20, having its upper or outerend tapered and closed and its inclined side walls provided with facets21 for the reception of a wrench, the lower or inner ena o1"- the keybeing open and having its walls indented, as at 22, to provide groves onthe outside and ribs on the inside, the ribs ot' the key iitting intothe grooves 18 ofV the nut 4 and the grooves of the indent-ations in thekey receiving the ribs of the guard ring 11, respectively. By thismeans, the key is held to the nut 4 and the ring, and both will beturned when the key is rotated, so that the entire device may he removedfrom the valve stein to allow the saine, together with the inner tube,to be withdrawn therefrom.

The thickness of the metal comprising the key 2O is equal to the spacebetween the nut 4 and the ring 11, and it will be seen that no deviceother than one shaped exactly like the key 20 may be introducedtherebetween to turn the nut 4, so that it is impossible to remove thetire from the wheel except by use of the key having the particularcombination of grooves adapted to the particular nut and ring in thelock housing.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a simple, cheaply-manufacturedand eicient lock housing has been provided for use on valve stems ofautomobile tires which will prevent the unauthorized removal of thesame, and that the device is susceptible of manufacture in a greatvariety of combinations, and that the device is capable of use in manyother positions and relations, and therefore I do not wish to be limitedto the particular use shown.

The device makes an admirable lock for the head of a screw or bolt, or anut thereon, in locations and uses where it is desired to prevent theremoval of the screw or bolt.

What is claimed is 1. In a lock housing for the heads or nuts of screwsand bolts, the combination with a swiveled housing or sleeve surroundingthe nut or head and extending beyond the latter, and a revoluble guardring also surrounding the nut or head and arranged within the housing orsleeve, said guard ring having engaging elements thereon.

2. In a lock housing for the nuts or heads of screws and bolts, thecombination with a swiveled housing surrounding the nut or head, aswiveled guard ring arranged on the inside of the housing and spacedfrom the nut or head, both the guard ring and the nut or head havingelements corresponding with each other, and a key adapted to be insertedbetween the nut or head and the guard ring and having engaging elementscorresponding with and adapted to interlock llt) with those provided onthe nut or head and the guard ring.

3. In a lock for the heads or nuts of screws and bolts, the combinationwith the screw or bolt having a head or nut, a revolubly mounted sleeveor housing surrounding the head or nut and extending outwardly beyondthe same, a revolubly mounted guard ring interposed between the head ornut and the housing or sleeve and having grooves formed therein, saidhead or nut having grooves formed therein and spaced from the guard ringto allow for the insertion of a key to turn the head or nut.

4. A lock for the heads or nuts of screws and bolts, comprising arevolubly mounted tubular sleeve surrounding the head or nut, a guardring arranged within the sleeve and spaced from the head or nut andbeing of less length than the housing, said head or nut and said ringbeing provided with grooves which coincide with each other and areadapted to receive between them a key for turning the nut or head.

5. In a lock for the heads or nuts of screws and bolts, the combinationwith the screw or bolt having a nut or head thereon, said nut or headhaving spaced longitudinal grooves on the periphery thereof, of aswiveled housing of greater length than the length of the head or nut soas to project beyond the same, and a swiveled guard ring interposedbetween the head or nut and the housing, said guard ring havinglongitudinal grooves therein forming ribs to coincide with the groovesformed in the head or nut, a space being provided between the head ornut and the guard ring for the insertion of a key having ribs tocorrespond with the grooves of the head 0r nut and having grooves tocoincide with the ribs of the guard ring.

6. A lock for the head or nut of a securing element, comprising atubular sleeve open at one end and having an inturned wall at the otherend, said sleeve being of greater internal diameter than the diameter ofsaid head or nut, and of greater length than said head or nut, the outerface of the head or nut within the sleeve being provided with aplurality of longitudinal grooves spaced apart, a guard ring mountedwithin the sleeve and extending along the sides thereof and having itsinner wall inturned and fitting between the inner face of said head ornut and the inturned wall of the sleeve, said guard ring being providedwith a plurality of longitudinal grooves forming ribs coinciding withthe grooves in the head or nut, and a removable tubular key having apolygonal head at o ne end and an open-ended socket at the other to passover the head or nut within the guard ring, said socket havinginwardlydirected indentations forming longitudinal ribs to lit thegrooves of the hea-d or nut and the grooves of said indentationsreceiving the ribs of said ring to turn the same when a wrench isapplied to the polygonal head of the key.

7. A lock housing, comprising a nut adapted to be screwed on thethreaded end of a stem, said nut having a swiveled, tubular housingmounted thereon, said housing being open at its outer free end andhaving its walls in spaced relation to the periphery4 of the nut, aguard ring carried by the nut within the housing and revolubleindependently of the latter, a dust cap surrounding the stem andprovided with a peripheral wall adapted to tit within the open end ofthe housing and having a marginal flange to tit over the edge of thesaine, the said nut and guard ring having their spaced, opposed wallsprovided with corresponding combinations of grooves, and a key havingits open end provided with longitudinal ribs to fit between and into thegrooves of the ring and nut to turn the latter off the stem.

8. In combination with a stem, a nut thereon, a housing swiveled to thenut, a guard ring also swiveled to the nut and extending beyond thelatter, a cap for closing the outer end of the housing and extendingwithin the latter, and a cover for the stem engaged with the latter andclamping against the said cap.

9. In a lock housing for the nuts or heads of screws and bolts, thecombination with the screw or bolt having a nut or head thereon, of alock housing swiveled on the screw or bolt and encircling the nut orhea-d and extending beyond the same, said housing having an open end,and a cup-shaped cap engaging with the outer edge ot' the housing andarranged within the latter.

l0. A lock for the head or nut of a securing element comprising atubular swiveled sleeve or housing open at one end, and a cupshaped capfor closing said open end of the housing, said cap being held inposition to and within the housing or sleeve by a ianged engagement withthe open end of the housing or sleeve.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto atiixedmy signature.

OLOF A. NORLUND.

